Idaho singer will compete in American Song Contest on Monday. Listen to his music here
After waiting in the wings until the fifth and final qualifying round of NBC’s “American Song Contest,” which pits all 50 states against each other for singing supremacy, it’s finally Idaho’s time to shine.
On Monday night, singer-songwriter Andrew Sheppard will represent Idaho as he competes for a spot in the semifinal round of the NBC reality series.
“American Song Contest” is an Americanized version of the old classic “Eurovision Song Contest,” but where the European version pits country against country, the American version pits state against state. The show is hosted by Snoop Dogg and Kelly Clarkson.
“American Song Contest” actually features 56 contestants — all 50 states, the District of Colombia and five U.S. territories (such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) — competing across five qualifying rounds. Four contestants from each qualifying round move on to the semifinals via public voting and a 56-person jury, as well as the two nonqualifiers with the highest social media streams, for a total of 22 semifinalists.
All songs performed are originals from the artists.
With the Gem State finally stepping into the spotlight on Monday night, read on for more information about Idaho’s representative and how to watch and vote.
‘Heartland rock’ in the Gem State
Sheppard is a native of Hailey in Central Idaho, according to his bio, but now lives in Boise after a decade on the road.
He first picked up a guitar at the age of 19, but he initially moved away in 2005 after high school to pursue skateboarding in Los Angeles. A blown-out knee saw that dream come to an end, shifting Sheppard’s focus back to music in 2008.
He formed the band Gypsy River Haunts with fellow Idahoan Dustin Hollenbeck and two friends from L.A. in 2008, and began recording albums a year later, but the band disbanded in 2012. Three years of traveling finally brought Sheppard back to Idaho in 2015.
Sheppard notes on his website how much he “thrives” in a place like Boise, allowing him to be more in touch with nature and “feel a bit more sane.”
Nowadays, Sheppard can often be found performing at music festivals throughout the West, such as the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in California and Boise’s own Treefort Music Fest.
Sheppard’s music is described as “Heartland Rock” on NBC’s website. His latest album, “Steady Your Aim,” was released in 2018. He also released a pair of singles, “Trouble Like You” and “Wings,” in 2021.
He is a verified artist on Spotify with over 1,800 monthly listeners, and several of his songs have more than 25,000 streams.
You can find some of his most-listened-to songs right here.
How to watch and vote
Sheppard’s round of the “American Song Contest” airs live on NBC on Monday at 6 p.m. Mountain time. He’ll be facing off against contestants from American Samoa, California, Guam, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina and Vermont.
The 56-person jury will select one person to move on to the semifinals, while fan voting will determine the other three contestants who will advance. Voting doesn’t open until the live performances begin on Monday; it closes on Wednesday.
Viewers will be able to vote at asc.vote.nbc.com, by using the NBC app, or on TikTok by searching “americansongcontest.”
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